Call them cool moms, hot moms, soccer moms or rocker moms. The
Mydols are Judy Davids, April Boyle, Wensdy Von Buskirk, Laura Spern, and
bachelor Johnny Miller.
Judy Davids (guitar)
Judy, of Royal Oak, is founder of the Mydols. Inspired by Jack
White of the White Stripes, who spoke at her son’s elementary school, Judy
rounded up three other neighborhood moms in 2002 and gave birth to the
Mydols.
In addition to
recording two full-length CDs of original music -- Born to Iron and Never Mind
the Laundry -- the Mydols have gotten national media attention from outlets
including People Magazine, the Today Show and Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.
Through the
band, Judy, has discovered many talents, including songwriting, Web and graphic
design, marketing, and especially writing.
In 2008, she
published a memoir, Rock Star Mommy: My
Life as a Rocker Mom, which chronicled the launch of the Mydols. (Check out the book website)
She has toured the country promoting her book at venues like South by
Southwest, encouraging people to live their dreams. Judy now teaches writing,
and contributes articles to numerous Detroit publications.
Most recently Judy has
added video producer to her resume. In addition to Mydols TV she has also
produced documentaries on Gilda’s Club and eco-preneur Malcom Rands.
Despite her
whirlwind schedule, Judy is a soccer mom at heart, and spends much of her time
driving sons Willie, 13 and Dylan, 15 to games and practices. She
also plays herself, and is founder and #7 of the Mydols indoor soccer
team.
April Boyle (lead vocals)
April comes
to the Mydols straight from the hearts of Detroit’s music scene. She is founder
of the award-winning Family Hootenanny concert and CD series, which gathers
Detroit-area musicians to sing, stomp, shout, strum and otherwise make music
for all ages.
Past Hootenannies, staged at venues
throughout metro Detroit, have included Dan Miller, The Go, Danny Kroha and
other Detroit rock royalty. April also takes the stage at Hootenannies herself,
formerly fronting her band The Aprons, and now as lead singer for the Mydols.
Ever the entrepreneur, and now eco-preneur, April just completed BizDom
U and is growing a ‘green’ media business that includes Detroit Green Drinks.
She also teaches yoga.
Her husband Brian is an original member of the well-known alt-country
band Blanche, and co-founder of Issue Media Group, which produces the website www.ModelDMedia.com.
They live in Pleasant Ridge with their sons Carter, 9, Gram Henry, 7, and
Rowan, 2.
Wensdy Von Buskirk (bass, backup
vocals)
Mydols bassist
Wensdy Von Buskirk started playing music when her dad restrung his classical
Gibson guitar for a southpaw. She first met the Mydols while playing bass with
The Basements.
Wensdy also is a
writer. Her articles have appeared in publications such as Marie Claire Magazine, Modern
Bride, the Daily Tribune, Observer
& Eccentric Newspapers, Detroit Free Press and HOUR Detroit. She has been active in Society of Professional
Journalists as a member and board member since 1996 and has won numerous
journalism awards. She also serves on the board of
Fashion Group International Detroit.
She and her husband, Jeff, live in Northville with their children
Verick, 3, and Violet, not yet 1.
Laura Spern (drums)
After becoming
obsessed with the video game Rock Band, Laura decided to rock for real, and
began taking guitar and drum lessons. Soon exhausted from playing two
instruments every day (yes, she actually practices), Laura sold her guitars and
committed to her drum kit.
The ultimate mom, Laura earned her spot in the Mydols with six children,
ages 6-18. She gave birth to four of them in her Royal Oak home, and has
homeschooled all of them with her husband Tony for 14 years. Laura also has
three dogs, four cats, two lizards, two birds, a snake, frog, fish, hamsters,
and three bunnies.
Somehow, she still finds time to take care of herself, eating organic
natural foods, and working out four days a week.
Johnny Miller (axe, whip, backup
vocals)
Johnny Miller
has played guitar, stand up bass, bass and guitar with many Detroit bands
including the Beggars, Ruiners, Duende, Salt Miners, Ditch Puppets and the
basements, where he sang lead vocals.
Johnny is not a mom. But he loves his mom, and moms in general, which is
why he helps the Mydols.
As musical director, he cracks the whip to get the Mydols to practice.
On stage, his guitar hides that fact they don’t.
Johnny was born on Pluto, but now lives in Ferndale, where he stays in
the moment by playing music and painting.
